College Softball: Utah Valley 5, Rider University 4 / Rider University 4, (USMA) Army 3

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Trailing 3-1, entering the bottom of the seventh inning, freshman Dana Seni (Allentown) capped a two-out rally with an RBI single to center field as the Rider University softball team won a battle over Army 4-3 on Saturday (March 16) to split two games on day two of the Rebel Spring Games in Florida.

Utah Valley survived a three-run seventh inning from the Broncs in game one to escape 5-4.

In the second game against Army, freshman pinch hitter Kim Valdes (Jupiter, Fla./King's Academy) had a one-out single with sophomore Gina McCool (Marlton/Cherokee) and sophomore Lauren Davies (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) hitting back to back singles to load the bases.

Rider (3-15) made it 3-2 on an RBI fielders’ choice and the Broncs tied the game on a Black Knight error before Sensi lined a single up the middle for the game-winner.  Sensi had two hits and four RBI on the day.

Army used some clutch two-out hitting to grab an early 3-0 lead.  The Black Knights hit a two-out solo home run in the second inning to go up 1-0 and a two-out two-run home run in the third inning extended the lead to 3-0.

Rider got one back in the bottom of the third inning when junior Kehli Washington (Lulea, Sweden/New Rochelle) singled with two outs, stole second and scored on an Army error.  Washington had four hits and four runs scored Saturday.

Red-shirt freshman Krista Morrone (Pipersville, Pa./Palisades) went the distance for Rider, recording five strikeouts.

The Broncs were originally scheduled to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday but Army was substituted on the schedule when the FDU team had a revision to its travel schedule.

In the opener, the Broncs took (literally) a 1-0 third inning lead when Washington singled, went to second on a throwing error and scored when that throw was missed in the outfield.

Utah Valley tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly.

The Wolverines put together five of their eight hits in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four times to go ahead 5-1, the big hit a three-run home run with two outs.

Washington started a two-out rally for the Broncs in the top of the seventh with a single to left field.  Sophomore Allysen Breeden (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) followed with an infield hit with Sensi hitting her first collegiate home run for the final score.

Freshman Montana Berg (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) picked up the loss, going six innings, scattering eight hits.

Rider faces Columbia and Albany on Sunday, beginning at 11am.